Weather plays havoc paralysing Colombo

More misery expected

Weather played havoc in most parts of Colombo yesterday disrupting normal life and causing injuries to several people.

Adverse weather hampered rescue of victims trapped under a collapsed building in Wellawatte.

Heavy rains caused flash floods in several areas of the city, bringing vehicular movement to a standstill and compelling people

to wade through water on roads.

Train services on the Kelani Valley line were disrupted due to fallen trees blocking the tracks.

The railway control room said that the track between Udahamulla and Pengiriwatte, Nugegoda had been blocked.

A number of roads in and around Colombo were blocked for traffic due to the extreme weather conditions.

Bloemendhal Road was closed in the morning as municipal workers engaged in removing a fallen tree blocking the road.

Roads near the Telecom building near the Colombo Fort, Fire Brigade on Darley Road, the Tractor Corporation junction and Bullers Lane behind BMICH were blocked due to fallen trees obstructing the roads.

Police were seen urging the public to use alternative routes as much as possible.

A Vesak Pandal erected at Kiribathgoda town collapsed due to strong winds and rains damaging four vehicles parked nearby, police said, adding that there were no casualties.

Meanwhile, the Met Department warned that there could be heavy rains in the coming days. Fairly strong winds at times (up to 40-50kmph) can be expected over the country, especially in the western slope of the central hills and strong winds at times in the Northern and Southern sea areas (up to 60-70 kmph).

Showers or thundershowers will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Central and North-western provinces. Fairly heavy falls (more than 50 mm) can be expected at some places.

Showers or thundershowers were likely to occur at several places in the Eastern and Uva provinces after 2.00 p.m today, the department said.

Sea areas off the coast extending from Puttalam to Trincomalee via Mannar and sea areas off the coast extending from Hambantota to Potuvil (Southeastern sea areas) may be very rough at times as the wind speed may increase up to 60-70 kmph.

Other sea areas can be fairly rough at times as the wind speed can increase up to 50 kmph.

Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in the seas off the coast extending from Puttalam to Pottuvil via Colombo, Galle and Hambanthota. A few showers may occur in the other sea areas.

Naval and fishing communities are requested to be vigilant in this regard.